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Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball coach Niko Medved did not hold back Thursday when addressing the turbulent state of NCAA eligibility rules, specifically the legal fallout from the new five-for-five rule. Medved warned reporters he could speak for 20 minutes on the topic but ended up delivering a passionate seven-minute monologue following his team's 72-52 exhibition victory over Omaha at Williams Arena.
Medved initially supported the rule, which grants players five years to play five seasons, when it was approved in June. However, he now feels the NCAA 'ambushed' everyone by implementing it during the 2026-27 academic calendar and, more critically, by making outgoing student-athletes from the class of 2022 ineligible. 'Basically (the) fate in your season or maybe going to the NCAA tournament depends on having a friendly judge? It's embarrassing,' Medved said.
At the center of the controversy is Cade Tyson, who led the Gophers in scoring last season. Tyson is currently in limbo, along with other athletes, awaiting a ruling from a federal appeals court. A three-judge panel from the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals heard the appeal Tuesday but has yet to issue a decision. Medved estimated that around 300 college basketball players are affected, with more than 100 now eligible. Tyson is enrolled in school and practicing with the team but remains sidelined.
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Medved questioned the NCAA's foresight, suggesting they should have anticipated legal challenges. 'Boy, they better question who they have on their legal team,' he said. 'And maybe even worse, if they did know this was going to happen, they should be ashamed of themselves to put players and coaches (in these situation) and just create the chaos.' He also noted that many coaches share his frustration, based on a recent call with National Association of Basketball Coaches board members. 'I think the best decision they could make in a bad circumstance right now is to let these guys play,' Medved added.
With the Gophers' season opener set for Nov. 2, Medved is desperate for a resolution. 'Can you call (NCAA president) Charlie Baker for me?' he asked. He acknowledged the opposing viewpoint of programs that didn't recruit players from the 2022 class and now feel it's unfair to compete against them, saying, 'There's merit to that.' However, if Tyson remains ineligible, Minnesota could be at a disadvantage, especially with Cincinnati guard MJ Collins potentially gaining eligibility through Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's executive order this week. The Gophers play at Cincinnati on Nov. 9, and Collins, who averaged 17.5 points per game at Utah State last season, would bolster the Bearcats' lineup.
Medved expressed concern about the broader implications. 'What's to stop other (governors) from doing it?' he asked. 'I don't know where this is going, but I have a feeling if you can even imagine that, it's actually going to get more chaotic.' He emphasized his primary concern is Tyson's well-being. The North Carolina native watched from the bench during Thursday's exhibition, and Medved believes the situation is taking a toll. 'He's here, having no answers, not knowing what's going to happen,' Medved said. 'I think that's really, really difficult for him. I know he had a really hard time (Thursday) having to sit and watch this and not be able to play.'
Originally reported by yahoo.